The DTM legends are divided: Manuel Reuter would have liked to see more boldness with the DTM’s new specialty tire, while Bernd Schneider warns of the dangers
Was the DTM too conservative with the new specialty tire, which was designed this year by Pirelli exclusively for use in the traditional series? “I would have liked a tire with much greater degradation—that is, a much bigger difference between new and used,” “That would have been good for the series.”
But what did the 1996 ITC champion hope to gain from that? “Overtaking is still extremely difficult because all the cars are on a similar level,” he notes despite the change. “But if I have a tire that—depending on the track and car type—wears out much more, I’d have time differences of maybe 1.5 to two seconds. And then, of course, I can overtake.“
On top of that, the GT3 cars are equipped with ABS and traction control, which makes overtaking more difficult. In this regard, the tires could have helped out more. ”If one driver’s tire is worn out and the other’s is new, and there’s a two-second gap, then I’ve got some awesome racing,” Reuter is convinced.
Wear also “very manageable” in Zandvoort endurance test
The dune circuit in Zandvoort was considered an absolute endurance test for the new Pirelli tires, which, although they have the same compound, feature a different construction than the previously used DHG tires from Pirelli and reach operating temperature slightly faster.
While there were hardly any changes in position on Saturday, the tires only played a role in the final stages on Sunday, when drivers like Thierry Vermeulen, who had only one used set left, fell back from the lead and were overtaken by drivers on new tires.
“It’s all very manageable for me,” says Reuter after the Zandvoort weekend. “It’s not like we’re now 2.5 seconds slower on used tires.” So did those in charge lack the courage? “I think in the end they were a bit too afraid to stand up to the differing opinions of the many manufacturers and teams,” says Reuter.
Bernd Schneider: “Then it will be even more difficult for the BoP”
This could also have to do with the difficult birth of the new DTM tire: Because during the first development tests, which took place in coordination with the manufacturers during the winter break, Pirelli brought tires that lost several seconds per lap depending on the vehicle. After several iterations, a tire was finally selected just one month before the start of the season—one that differs only slightly from the previous model.
“Everyone wanted to see a bigger step forward,” says “Mr. DTM,” Bernd Schneider, who was on site as an AMG representative during the development test in Vallelunga in March. “It was already clear there that it isn’t easy to deliver a tire that works on every car. And it would be bad to introduce a tire that favors one brand and severely disadvantages another.“
According to the five-time DTM champion, this made it ”a major challenge for Pirelli to make a change,” especially since the previous tire had been fine. “If another tire is added now that you can’t assess, then it will be even more difficult for the BoP. That’s why I think it was good that the change wasn’t quite as drastic as one might have wanted.”
Reuter: ADAC should have presented teams with a fait accompli
Reuter sees it differently. “In the end, they should have told the teams: This is what you’re getting, you’ll have to live with it—and then everyone will find a solution,” says Reuter. “Depending on the concept and the track, one team will experience more or less wear or graining than another. And that evens out over the course of the season depending on the track or temperature.”
Reuter believes the resistance stemmed primarily from the teams trying, out of self-interest, to “push things in their own direction.” That’s why he calls for more consideration of the series as a whole. “We should ask ourselves: What’s great for the series? We’re doing this for the fans, not for ourselves—and we’re all in the same boat. The better the show, the better for everyone.”